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Day of the Iguana
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| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note |
Captured this photo of Very large iguana in Puerto Vallarta. Approx. 6 feet long and huge.
The green iguana [Iguana iguana] is a Mexican species subject to special protection, of which we should take care. Protection would allow this reptile to survive in our territory. In some regions of Mexico there are known as “garrobos” (large lizards) (however this name is also given to the black iguana or Ctenosaura pectinata as well as to the males of the Iguana iguana).
It has a short head with a large fold on the skin of the throat and it has big, round and large scales on the back, forming a peculiar crest over its body. The adult males can reach a length of up to 2 meters from their head to the tip of their tail. The females tend to be smaller. The tail of the iguana is very long, it can be up to three times longer than the rest of the body and sideways it is a bit compressed. The head is narrow and profound; the snout is rounded dorsally and truncated sideways. The eyes are moderately big; the pupils are elliptical and vertical. The extremities are robust and strong, ending on long toes with nails that are long, too. On the back the males have scales. Green iguanas change color upon growing and they grow upon aging. The young ones have a brilliant green whereas the mature individuals are greenish grey, bronze and even brown-colored. The adult males tend to change to a green orange color with a series of vertical bars on each side of their bodies. The tail shows alternating light and dark bands. The extremities are green orange as well as the belly. Iguanas are distributed amongst the hot regions of the country, from Jalisco and Tamaulipas up to the southern states. Beyond our borders, their area of distribution extends all the way to the south of Brazil.
They usually live on trees and they like to live close by water courses. They take shelter on the tree tops when any danger presents itself or they jump into the water, plunge into it and escape by swimming (iguanas are excellent swimmers).
With regard to its behavior, the iguana is a social species; groups can be found sunbathing and foraging together in the trees. The male iguana is more aggressive than the female and they tend to be more territorial.
They are mainly vegetarians during their adult phase and vegetarians and insect eaters during their youth.
The older a specimen gets, the greater is the consumption of vegetables, up to such a point where they practically abandon other types of diet, even though in the wilderness they may eat young mice, lizards and frogs. |
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- ridfa
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 89 W: 0 N: 376]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-n-g.gif)
(4111) - [2005-09-04 2:28]
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Dommage que la tête soit hors profondeur de champ. Je sais qu'en matière de photo animalière on ne fait pas toujours ce que l'on veut.
Cordialement.
![Silver Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Silver Note Writer [C: 32 W: 12 N: 12]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/s-s-s.gif){kind=small}